Portable automatic painting machine



June 30, 1959 G. DYNIA PORTABLE AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE 6 sheets sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26, 1956 INVENTOR. GEORGE DY N IA Anvm Jun 30, 1959 G. DYNIA I 2,892,439

Filed Nov. 26, 1956 PORTABLE AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. :4 GEORGE DYN IA ATTORNEY June 30, 1959 G. DYNlA 2,392,439

PORTABLE AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1956 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. GEORGE DYN lA June 30, 1959 G. DYNIA 2,892,439

PORTABLE'YAUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1956 I! I" I 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. GEORGE DYN I A F? R BY ATwmy June 30, 1959 G. DYNIA 2,892,439

- PORTABLE AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig [i I INVENTOR. GEORGE DYN IA A TTURNEY June 30, 1 I G. DYNIA 2,892,439

PORTABLE AUTOMATIC PAINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet e 254 IN VEN TOR.

GEORGE DYNIA' ATTDENEY 2,892,43il i oRTABLi: AUTOMATIC PAINTING menus George Dynia, Flushing; ApplicatidnNovember 26, 1956, Serial'No. 624,352 3 Claims. (C l. 118 -6) This invention relates to a machine adapted to eifec't automatically the painting of a ceiling or wall surface of a room or other enclosure.

In its broadest aspect, the invention is designed to effect the coating of a surface of substantial area by means of a self-propelled apparatus that moves along the floor surface adjacent said area, and which includes means applying power to a movably mounted applicator, in the manner to cause the applicator to coat, in a minimum amount of time, an area of a surface of substantial size.

In a more particular sense, the invention encompasses use of a wheeled support, which in one form of the invention is self-propelled, and includes a motion-translating linkage to an oscillating, automatically extensible arm on the upper end of which is provided a roller-type applicator, so that on movement of the support along a floor surface, the arm is continuously oscillated with the applicator coating progressively exposed surfaces during its back and forth motion across said surfaces. Means is provided in association with the applicator adapted to trip a switch responsive to striking an obstruction on the ceiling being coated, which obstruction might be a depending light fixture, etc., a wall, or the like. Immediate reversal of the direction of movement of the applicator is eifected by the tripped switch, causing the apparatus to move away from said obstruction and, in effect, paint around the same.

The support carries a reservoir for the paint or other coating material, in which the material is maintained under pressure to continuously feed the applicator, and also carried upon the support is hydraulic means for automatically maintaining the oscillating arm in an extended condition, so designed as to cause the painting head to travel back and forth in a plane just below and paralleling that ofthe ceiling despite the oscillatory motion of the arm, which would ordinarily tend to cause saidpainting head to travel in an arcuate path about the axison which the extensible arm is pivoted.

In a second form of the invention, the self-propelled support is retained, together with the supply of coating material maintained under pressure. In this form, however, the device is adapted particularly for painting a vertical surface such as awall and accordingly, on one side of the supportthere is mounted a vertically extending trackway, in which is rollably mounted a carriage carrying a solenoid having its core projecting beyond opposite ends of the winding. A sprocket and chain means extends within the trackway, and on shifting of the core in one direction, said core engages one side of the chain to cause the carriage to moveupwardly. Means on the painting head is provided, engaging the ceiling or floor as the case may bein a manner to trip a switch for deenergizing the solenoid, whereby the other end of the coreengages theopposite side of the chain to immediately reverse thedirection of verticalmovement of the carriage and, hence, of the .paintingheadr Among important objects of the invention are the ol ow s.

2,892,439 Patented June 30, 1959 To provide a wholly automatic, self-propelled painting or surface-coating machine; I

To so design said machine as to cause the same to coat a large surface area in a minimum amount of time, the invention thus being well adapted for use in coating large, fiat expanses of wall and ceiling area, such as those found in auditoriums, gymnasiums, etc.;

To so design the machine as to cause the same to auto matically reverse the direction of movement of the painting head on arrival of the painting head at any obstruction;

To form a painting machine of the character described that will be relatively simple in construction, considering the substantial benefits to be derived from the use thereof;

To design a novel painting head which will assure the uniform feeding of coating material thereinto, with said painting head further being adapted to carry a switch-tripping assembly novelly formed as arranged to effect the previously mentioned reversal of the direction of movement of the painting head; and

To provide a painting machine of the character described that can' be readily transported from place to place, will be compact, substantially trouble-free-in operation, and adapted by a novel assemblage and interrelationship of said components to efliciently discharge its intended functions.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through the apparatus substantially on line 11 of Fig. 2, viewing the apparatus at its head end, the oscillating arm and supported painting head being shown in full, chain-dotted, and dash-dotted positions at various locations to which it is moved.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1, through the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on line '33 of Fig. 2, showing the motion-translating assembly for oscillating the paint head-supporting arm.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through said assembly substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3, on the same scale as Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the oscillating arm and painting head, substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. l, on an enlarged scale, portions being broken away.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the oscillating arm assembly, substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, the.

scale being still further enlarged.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the painting.

head.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the painting head substantially on line 8--8 of Fig. 7, the scale being enlarged above that of Fig. 7, the switch means being shown in different positions to which it is movable in full and dotted lines respectively.

Fig. 9 is a detail section, enlarged above the scale of Fig. 10A is a diagram showing'the path of the painting.

head.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of-amodified form of" the apparatus-used for painting vertical wall surfaces.

Fig. 12. isafragmentary transverse sectional view-substantially on line 12-12 of Fig. 11, the painting head being shown in full and dotted lines in its upper and lower extreme positions. 7 g y "Fig. 13 is a horiZontalsection through the modified construction, substantially on line 13-13 of Fig. 11.

- Fig. 14 is an enlarged, transverse section through the painting head substantially on line 14-14 of Fig. 11, showing the switch-tripping means.

Fig. 15 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the track means, carriage and painting head of the modified form of Fig. 1 1.

Fig. 16 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing a modified motion-translating driving connection for effecting oscillating movement of the painting arm assembly.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view substantially on line 1717 of Fig. 16. V V

The first form of the invention has been illustrated in Figs. 1-10, inclusive. It includes an upwardly opening shell or housing generally designated which is approximately rectangular in shape, is fully open at its top, and is fully closed at its sides, bottom, front, and rear. The housing can be of various forms, that shown being merely one of many shapes that might be employed.

The housing is rollably supported, including transversely extending, horizontal, front and rear axles 12, 14, to which are fixedly secured front and rear wheels 16, 18, respectively. On the bottom of the housing, there is mounted an electric motor 20, of the gear head type, hav ing a forwardly projecting gear box 22 containing reduction gearing of any of various conventional types, designed to step down the speed of an axle or shaft 24 projecting at opposite directions from the gear box, to a selected extent. At this point, it will be understood that the relative speeds of the motor shaft, the driven shaft 24, the wheel axles, and of the oscillating arm assembly, may be varied within the scope of the appended claims, without departure from the spirit of the invention as claimed. One can so establish the speed through the use of suitable reduction gearing, and relative sizes of gears, etc., as to cause the housing to move forwardly at a predetermined speed bearing a timed relation to the speed of oscillating motion of the arm assembly. Hence, it would appear that a further discussion of these various relative speeds is immaterial, it being mainly important that the forward movement of the housing and the speed of movement of the painting head be timed one relative to the other in a manner to assure that the painting head will properly coat the surface to which paint is being applied, without applying either an excessive amount of paint or, on the other hand, an excessively small amount of paint.

' The housing 10 is adapted to be self-propelled, in a direction toward the left in Fig. 2, and to this end there is secured to the shaft 24 that projects from the gear head 22 a gear 26 (see Fig. 2) in mesh with a gear 28 secured to the shaft 12.

Mounted within and projecting upwardly from the housing at the head end thereof is a motion-translating assembly generally designated 30. Said assembly trans- Iates rotary motion of one shaft to oscillating motion of a paint head-supporting arm assembly to be described hereinafter. It is believed that any of various motion-translating linkages that will translate motion in this manner may be employed. It is mainly important that the previously mentioned timed relationship of the painting head movement to the speed movement of the rollable support over a floor surface be retained, and it is also important that the speed with which the painting head moves over the ceiling C being painted be maintained at a substantially uniform rate to assure correspondingly uniform distribution of the coating material over the ceiling surface. It is also important that the assembly 30 be so driven from shaft 24 that a reversal of the direction of drive thereof can be readily elfected'.

The motion-translating assembly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is, accordingly, provided merely by way of example of one that could be employed to advantage. It includes a rectangular, forwardly opening casing 32 closed at its front by a removable cover plate 34 and supported upon and secured to transversely extending, confronting angle bars 36, 36 secured fixedly at their ends to the respective side walls of the housing 10.

Referring to Fig. 1, an electrically actuated reversing clutch 37 drivingly connects shaft 24 to a shaft 39, in a manner that will permit shaft 39 to rotate either in the same direction as or oppositely to the shaft 24. Secured to the shaft 39 is a pulley 38 about which is trained a belt 40 and trained also about a driven pulley 42 secured to a shaft 44 journalled at its ends in the side walls of casing 32 (see Figs. 3 and 4). Secured to the shaft 44 is a worm gear 46 meshing with and driving a helical gear 48 secured to a shaft 50 journalled in the cover plate 34 and in the back wall of casing 32 (see Fig. 4) .at right angles to shaft 44. Secured to shaft 50 is a pinion 52 meshing with a large gear wheel 54 rotating upon a stub shaft or arbor 56 that projects forwardly a short distance from the back wall of the casing 32, the front end of the stub shaft being flush with the front surface of the gear wheel. 7

Secured to and depending from the top wall of casing 32 is a bearing sleeve 58 extending in a fore-and-aft direction. .lour'nalled in the bearing sleeve is a spindle 60, held against axial movement relative to the sleeve by set collars. The rear set collar is integral with a depending, longitudinally slotted arm 62 projecting radially from shaft 68. Projecting forwardly from the marginal portion of gear wheel 54 is a lug 64 slidably engaging in the slot of arm member 62 (see Fig. 3). Thus, on rotation of gear wheel 54 the pin 64 will travel in a circular path, and will, accordingly, cause arm 62 to oscillate between opposite extreme positions which in a preferred embodiment may be angularly spaced sixty degrees apart.

This causes the spindle 60 to rock about its long axis in opposite directions, at a predetermined rate of speed and through a predetermined angular distance.

The spindle 60 projects at its front end through a slot 64 formed in the cover plate 34, and the forwardly projecting end is welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the lower end of an elongated, telescopic, paint head supporting arm assembly generally designated at 66.

The particular formation of arm assembly 66 is shown to its best advantage in Fig. 5. Said assembly includes a cylindrical base section comprising a tubular member 70 threaded at its opposite ends to receive upper and lower end caps 72, 74. End cap 74 has an inlet fitting 75 to which is connectible a flexible hose 76 through which fluid under pressure is supplied to the base cylinder.

Telescoping in the base cylinder is an intermediate cylinder 78, sliding in an opening formed in upper end cap 72. Rotation of intermediate cylinder 78 relative to base cylinder 70 should be prevented and as one means for accomplishing this, there is illustrated a longitudinal key or rib80 formed upon the outer surface of cylinder 78 (see Figs. 5 and 6) and sliding in a complementarily formed recess provided in end cap 72 in communication with the center opening of the end cap.

The inner end of intermediate cylinder 78 is outwardly flanged at 82 to provide a piston having wiping contact with the wall of base cylinder 70 and to prevent leakage of the pressure fluid the piston includes a plurality of annular gasket or seal rings 84 supported upon flanges 82.

At its upper end, intermediate cylinder 78 is threaded to receive an end cap 86, having a square or other noncircular center opening 88 in which slides a solid shaft element 90 of corresponding cross section, this arrangement preventing axial rotation of the shaft element relative to the intermediate cylinder. Shaft element 90 at its inner end hasa piston-defining flange 92 supporting seal rings 93. v

The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 is such that on 5 pressure fluid being supplied, to base cylinder 70, the intermediate cylinder 78and the shaft. element will be automatically extended'by pressure exerted against the pistons 82, 92, respectively At its outer or upper end, shaft element 90 has an annular enlargement 94 in the center opening of which there is welded one end of an elongated, horizontal tube 96 extended perpendicularly to the length of shaft element 90 and formed'at one end with an inlet fitting to which is connectible a flexible hose 98 through which paint or other coating material is supplied to the interior of the tube.

The tube constitutes part of a painting head generally designated at 68, adapted to traverse the ceiling C on oscillation of arm assembly 66.

At its other end, the tube is closed by a removable plug 100, facilitating. cleaning of the interior of the painting head.

Rotating on the tube 96 is a painting head cylinder 102, about which is snugly fitted a sleeve 104 of a porous, nappy material such as those commonly used on painting rollers.

Within the cylinder 102, tube 96 is formed with longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced rows of apertures 108, through which the paint is forced into the cylinder 102, and correspondingly longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced ports 110 are formed in the wall of cylinder 102, so that the paint is forced into the porous material of the sleeve 104, to be uniformly dispersed through the sleeve and coated upon the surface of ceiling Con traverse of the ceiling by the painting head roller.

The construction so far illustrated and described is such (see Fig. 1) that the. arm assembly 66 is automatically extended to its maximum extent, that is, said assembly is extended as far as it is permitted by the particular position which it asumes during its oscillatory motion, in a manner to maintain the surface of sleeve 104 in engagement with the ceiling. In other words, the painting head travels along the ceiling surface, being maintained wholly in a plane paralleling that of the ceiling, despite the oscillatory motion of the armv assembly. Considering the arm assembly as moving from its full to its chain-dotted position of Fig. 1, it will be seen that the arm assembly is automatically shortened, with the arm asembly then automatically lengthening as it moves from its chain-dotted to its dash-dotted position of Fig. 1. A more detailed discussion of the manner in which this operational characteristic obtains will be provided hereinafter.

Carried by the painting head is a switch and switch actuating mechanism shown to its best advantage in Figs. 7 and 8. The switch actuating mechanism includes a rectangular, thin wire guard 112, the longitudinal portions of which parallel the axis of the painting roller and are disposed at opposite sides of said axis. Said longitudinal portions are formed with uniformly spaced, laterally outwardly projecting, feeling tips 114 which may be conventiently formed by folding the material of the longitudinal portions of the guard upon itself at selected locations as shown in Fig. 7. The feeler tips have their outer ends projecting well beyond the respective sides of the painting roller, so that they will engage any obstruction depending from the ceiling, such as, a light fixture, and so that they will, further, engage a vertical wall surface or the like before the painting head can strike the obstruction.

At its inner end, the guard is provided with small rollers 116, which roll upon the surface of ceiling C. As will be noted, the rollers are disposed beyond one end of the painting roller, and are so located as to roll upon the surface of the ceiling which has not yet been coated. Bearings for the guide rollers 116 may be formed out of the material of the adjacent end of the 6 guard. The purpose of the guide rollers 116 is to maintain the guard 112' in a horizontal plane paralleling' and closely spacedfrom that of the ceiling C as shown to best advantage in Figs. 1, 2 and 8.

Midway between the guide rollers 116, the material of the wire guard 112 is extended longitudinally beyond the adjacent end of the guard in the form of a support arm- 118 of the guard, having an inverted L-shape; At the lower endof the verticalleg of support arm 118 said arm is formed with a loop loosely receiving a screw 122 threaded into the rounded upper end of a flat switcli support plate disposed in a vertical plane. This is shown to best advantage in Figs. 8 and 9.

Formed'in the plate 120 is a longitudinal slot 123 having rounded ends, and receiving the tube 96 so that the plate is rotatably mounted upon tube 96, and further is adapted to slide in a direction radially of said tube. To hold the plate against axial movement along the length of the tube 96 a stop screw or lug 125 may be threaded into the tube as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, bearing against one face of the plate, the other face of the plate bearing against the annular enlargement 94 of shaft element 90.

The plate normally depends vertically from tube 96 as shown in Fig. 8 in full lines,with the tube engaging the rounded upper end of slot 123. To insure that the plate will so depend under normal conditions, the plate may as shown he provided at its lower end with a transversely extending weight 124.

Immediately above the weight there is mounted upon the plate a conventional mercury switch 126. Since such a switch is conventional per se, itis not deemed necessary to show the details of inner construction thereof. It is sufiicient to note that the switch is so designed thatwhen plate 120 depends vertically in its full line position of Fig. 8, the switch will not affect the operation of the motor 20. However, the switch is so designed and is so wired to the motor that when the plate 120 rocks from its normal, vertical position in either direction, as, for example to the chain-dotted position of Fig. 8, theswitch is operated to change the direction of rotation of the shaft 39 (see Fig. 1) by operation of the solenoidcontrolled reversing clutch 37. The switch 126 and the solenoid, clutch 37 would, of course, be connected with a suitable source of electric power.

As a result, when the feeler frame engages, at either side thereof, an obstruction, the switch 126 is operated to immediately reverse the direction of rotation of shaft 39, and this in turn causes an immediate reversal of the direction of movement of the painting head so that the painting head moves away instantaneously from said obstruction, and travels in an opposite direction even though the oscillating arm assembly has not moved through its normal full course of travel.

The manner in which the feeler frame and switch operate is shown in Fig. 8. Assuming that the feeler frame strikes an obstruction at the left of the sameviewing the same as in Fig. 8 during movement, of the painting head toward the left in Fig. 8, the feeler frame will be shifted to the right in Fig. 8 relative to the tube 96. In other Words, tube 96 tends to continue its motion to the left in Fig. 8, but the feeler frame, having engaged the obstruction, remains stationary and hence will be in the dotted line position of Fig. 8 relative to the tube 123. The pivotal connection of the feeler frame to the switch support plate 120 thus causes the switch support plate to be rocked to its chain-dotted position of Fig. 8 by camming action of the tube 96 against the wall or edge of slot 123 during. the continued movement of the tube 96 to the left in Fig. 8. As a'result, the switch 126 is tilted, energizing the clutch 37 to instantaneously change the direction of rotation of, shaft 39 and hence cause a corresponding, instantaneous change. in the direction of movement of the tube 96. so that the painting head will move away from the obstruction. The feeler frame and plate immediately return to their normal position shown in Fig. 8 in full lines, due to the provision of the weight 124. The switch itself might constitute a sufficient weight, of course, and in some forms of the invention the construction will be such as not to require any weight at all.

The solenoid clutch is a wholly conventional device per se and other types of clutches might be employed as well. It is mainly important to note that the clutch, when tripped by action of the switch 126, will operate to reverse the direction of rotation of shaft 39, while still maintaining the same in driving-driven relationship to the shaft 24 extending from gear head 22.

Various means may be employed to continuously feed the coating material to the painting head. Further, the painting head itself may be changed in construction, that shown being purely an example of a painting head that can be advantageously employed. Such changes would of course be such as will be permitted by the scope of the appended claims. I j j As one example for maintaining a continuous supply of paintwithin the painting head, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a paint tank or reservoir 128, equipped with a hand pump 130 and with a capped filler neck 132. The hand pump is operated at periodic intervals to compress air within the reservoir 128 above the surface of the paint, and thereafter, paint will be forced upwardly through tube 38, which is connected with the lower end of the reservoir, into the painting head as long as sufficient pressure remalns.

Instead of a hand pump, an electrically operated air compressor pump may be employed, adapted to operate whenever the pressure within the reservoir 128drops below a predetermined value. Again, these are devices conventional per se and it is mainly important to note that the painting head should be maintained with a continuous supply of paint, to replace that coated upon the surface of the ceiling.

In Figs. 1, 2 and there is shown the means for maintaining pressure within the extensible arm assembly 66. A hydraulic means is illustrated purely byway of example, and includes a reservoir 134 mounted upon a ledge 136 carried by and extending between the side walls of housing 10. Closing the reservoir at its upper end is a removable cover 138 and within the reservoir there is a supply of pressure fluid 140.

A heavy weight 142 is disposed within the reservoir 134, and extending thereabout is a sealing ring 144 having wiping contact with the side wall of the reservoir. A handle 146 on the weight facilitates its insertion or removal, and in cover 138 there is an air vent 148 to prevent the formation of a vacuum above the weight.

The tube 76 extending to base cylinder '70 is connected in communication with the lower end of reservoir 134. Accordingly, weight 142, tending to gravitate within reservoir 134, forces fluid 140 through tube 76 into base cylinder 70, to extend the shaft element 90 and intermediate cylinder 78. The arm assembly is thus continuously extended sufficiently to maintain the painting roller in engagement with ceiling C. Whenever the arm assembly moves across its dead center, tending to shorten the same, the arm assembly is telescoped as previously described herein, forcing the fluid backwardly into the reservoir 134 and temporarily elevating the weight 142. It will be understood that the force with which the fluid is directed into the extensible arm assembly, while sufficient to maintain said assembly in an extended position, is overcome by the force with which the arm assembly is oscillated by the means shown in Figs. 3 and 4 so that the arm assembly will not bind and become stationary in any position to which it is oscillated.

In use of this form of the invention, the entire device moves slowly in a forward direction, that is, toward the left in Fig. 2. As it moves, the arm assembly is continuously swung back and forth, so that the ceilingsurface a. 8 is painted in a manner shown in Fig. 10A. In other words, the painting roller is advanced in the direction of its length due to the forward movement of the housing 10, and at the same time,.is traveling back and forth along lines disposed transversely of the direction of movement of the housing. The full lines and full line arrows in Fig. 10A show the movement of the painting roller in one direction, while the dotted lines and dotted arrows in the same figure show the movement in the opposite direction. The painting roller in effect has a zig-zag action, with its path overlapping to insure coverage of the full area being painted.

If obstructions are not encountered by the feeler frame, of course, the oscillating arm' assembly will travel through its full angular distance between its opposite extreme positions. Should an obstruction be encountered at any point, however, the feeler frame immediately reverses the direction of movement of the oscillating arm assembly in the manner previously described, so that the device continues to operate, traveling once again through its full distance as soon as the obstruction is passed.

Referring now to Figs. 11-15, there is here shown a modified construction used for painting vertical wall surfaces W (see Fig. 12). In this form of the invention, the housing has been generally designated 150, and again is self-propelled, having front and rear wheels 152, 154 secured to front and rear axles 156, 158. As shown in Fig. 13, mounted in the housing is an electric motor 160, connected with a suitable source of electricity as is the motor in the first form of the invention, and said motor includes a gear head 162 containing reduction gearing to drive the shaft 156 at a selected, reduced rate of speed relative to the speed of rotation of the motor shaft.

Secured to the shaft 156 is a pulley 164 about which is trained a belt 166 trained also about a pulley 168 secured to shaft 158, to drive the front and rear wheels.

An elongated, vertically extending, channeled track 170 is formed to include confronting side channels 172 (see Figs. 13 and 15).

The track is mounted in a vertical position at one side of the housing, opening laterally outwardly from said side as shown in Fig. 13, and is demountably attached by means of longitudinally spaced screws 174 (see Fig. 11).

In the lower end of the track a sprocket 176 is mount ed. In the upper end of the track (Fig. 15) a similar sprocket 178 is provided, the sprockets extending into the side channels 172 and being secured to stub shafts 180, 182 respectively. Shaft is a drive shaft, to drive the sprocket 176, and trained about the sprockets is a chain 184 (see Fig. 15) the opposite flights of which extend within the side channels for the full length of the track.

To drive the sprocket 176, there is provided a pulley 186 (Fig. 13) secured to shaft 156, and trained about the pulley is a belt 188 trained also about a pulley 190 secured to the shaft 180.

A painting head has been generally designated 192, and is adapted to travel upwardly and downwardly with its roller in contact with wall surface W, substantially the full length of the track, between the opposite extreme positions of the painting head shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 12. The painting head (see Fig. 15 includes a carriage 194 including a channeled body disposed within the main portion of the track 170. Rotatably mounted upon the opposite side walls of the body are pairs of wheels 196, rolling upon the back wall of the track, and upon inwardly directed, longitudinal lips 197 (Fig. 15) constituting extensions of the inner side walls of the side channels 172.

Welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the web of the body of the carriage and projecting horizontally, forwardly of the track, is a support arm 198 and to the outer end of said arm there is secured one end of a tubular roller support frame 200 which is of approximately J-shaped formation and lies in a horizontal plane comayseanaa nionto t hat'of the-arm 198. Thefrtiine is so dispdsed -that the inner 'le'g thereof-is the shorter le'g,"and-this is fixedly secured within an opening formed at the outer endof ai'm l98; said inner or shorter leg being designated at 204. A paint inlet fitting is also secured to the arm 198, in Communication withthe tubular'frame 200, and connected to said fitting is "the supply hose 202 through '-which the paint is fed into theframe 200.

Integral with the shorter or inner leg 204 of thefrarne is a big'ht'portion 206,fm'e'rging into" the longer'or outer leg 208 of the frame. The-outer or longer leg is extended perpendicularly t'o'the length 'of the arm 198, and a line inextension of the arm 198 intersects the longer leg substantially medially betweenthe opposite ends of said longer leg 208 of the roller 'supportframe.

The outer'end-of the-longerle'g is closed by'a plug 210 analogous to theplug 1000f the first form of the invention.

Set collars 212are secured to thelonger leg208 of the roller support'frame, and abut opposite ends of a paint cylinder 214 identical to the cylinder 102 of the first form of the invention. The longer leg 208 would be perforated exactly as isthe tube 96 of'the first form, so that paint fed into the frame 200 will be forced through the perforations of the longer leg, into the cylinder, and 'will then be forced into the perforations of'the cylinder 214 into a sleeve 216 formed like the sleeve 104 of the first form.

A feeler frame or guard 218 is disposed in a vertical fashion in this form of the invention, with its longitudinal portions being disposed substantial distances above the '"in'one'flight 'of'the-chain. Whenthe switch 232'is closed *momentarily, the deenergizing circuit is closed and the wardly. When switch230 is-energized, the core is shifted,

top and bottom surfaces of the painting roller. The-feeler frame 218 includes the feeling'tips 220, adapted toengage the ceiling C or floor F depending uponthe direction of movement of the carriage.

Again, various means may be employed to cause a switch to be actuated responsive to engagement of the feeler tips against the ceiling or floor or against, perhaps, some other obstruction encountered during the up-anddown movement of the carriage. As an illustration of one mechanism that can be employed, and referring to Figs. 14 and 15, the wire material of the feeler frame at one end of the frame is extended rearwardly to form feeler arms 222, 224 converging in a direction away from the plane of the frame and integral at their convergent ends with a bight 226 welded or otherwise fixedly secured tothe shorter leg 204 of the roller support frame. The arms 222, 224 are of springable characteristics and adjacent their divergent ends, extend across a flat, vertically disposed switch support plate 228 centrally apertured to receive the longer leg 208 and fixedly secured in this instance to the longer leg of the roller support frame. Adjacent the feeler arms 222, 224, micro-switches 230, 232 are mounted upon the plate 228, and have switch arms 234, 236 respectively so located that if the arm 222 is sprin-gably biased downwardly from its Fig. 14 position, it will engage arm 234 to close switch'230. Similarly, upward movement of the feeler arm 224 will engage switch arm 236 to close the switch 232.

Referring now to Fig. 15, a solenoid 238 is attached to the carriage 194 below arm 198, by means of a clamp 240. The solenoid has a core 242 extending transversely of the carriage, and projecting at its opposite ends beyond the opposite ends of the winding of the solenoid. When the core 242 is shifted axially in one direction, as for example to the left in Fig. 15, its left-hand end will engage in adjacent links of the left-hand flight of chain 184. When the core is shifted in the opposite direction, its right-hand end will engage in the links of the righthand flight of chain 184.

The switches are respectively included in solenoidenergizing and solenoid-deenergizing circuits, so that when switch 230 is momentarily closed, the energizing circuit will be closed and the deenergizing circuit opened, causing the core 242 to be shifted in one direction to engage to now engage in the downwardly moving flight of the chain, so that the carriage instantaneously reverses its direction and begins to move downwardly.

At the lower limit of its travel, the lower feeler tips engage the floor F, closing switch 232 and causing the core to shift to engage once again in the upwardly moving flight of the chain and thus cause the carriage to begin to move upwardly once again. Of course, if any obstructionsar'e encountered on the wall surface, the direction of movement of the carriage will reverse in the same manner as in the first form of the invention. This will be true whether the carriage is moving upwardly or downwardly at the time it approaches the obstructibn.

The device in this form moves slowly adjacent the Wall surface, and again, the area of the wall will be painted in a pattern similar to that shown in Fig. 10A.

It will be seen-that the device is one that is adapted for rapidly and wholly automatically painting ceiling or wall surfaces, depending upon the form of the device used. Quite possibly, in a commercial embodiment the device may include means for interchanging the oscil lating arm assembly and the vertical track, so that either of these can be mounted upon a single rollable, selfpropelled housing or support 10 or 150, as the case may be. p

The device can of course be used wherever it may be advantageously employed, both in homes and in larger structures. While it may find its main use where there are particularly large wall or ceiling areas to be covered, as for example an auditorium, gymnasium, etc., it is not of course restricted to these particular uses.

Further, various changes may be made, Within the scope of the appended claims and as one change that could be made, the paint applicator may be a fountaintype paint brush or any other device designed to spread paint which is automatically delivered to it. Further, the means for feeding the paint to the painting head, or the means for extending the oscillating arm assembly, may be varied. This is also true of the means for effecting vertical movement of the painting head of the second form of the invention, and of the particular motion-translating linkage used for oscillating the arm assembly in the first form. 7

Referring to Fig. 13 within the housing there is a paint supply tank 244 equipped with a hand pump or other means for maintaining pressure therein in the same manner as the tank 128, the paint supply tube 202 being connected in communication with the tank 244.

In Figs. 16 and 17, there is shown a modified construction used for translating rotary motion of the drive shaft of the apparatus into oscillating motion of the painting arm assembly 66 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The showing in Figures 16 and 17 is largely diagrammatic, in the sense that the housing, support brackets, etc., are not shown. However, it will be understood that the mechanism illustrated in these figures of the drawing will be housed in a casing such as shown at 30 in Figures 1 and 2 with the casing being mounted substantially in the same place and in the same manner as the housing or casing 30.

Thus, the belt 40 will be extended upwardl into the casing through an opening in the bottom thereof, and is trained about a pulley 248. Pulley 248 is secured to and drives a jackshaft 250 journalled in suitable bearings provided within the housing. Shaft 250 is secured to and drives a pulley 252 about which is trained a belt 254 passing about a pulley 256 secured to and driving a stub shaft 258. Also rotating with shaft 250 is a gear 260 in mesh with a larger gear 262 secured to and driving a stub shaft 264 alligned with shaft 258. The ratio of gears 260, 262 and the ratio of pulleys 252, 256 are identical, so that the stub shafts are turned at the same speed.

The stub shafts rotate the drive members of conventional solenoid clutches 266, the driven members of which rotate stub shafts 268 secured to a crank 270 to which is pivotally connected a pitman 272. Pitman 272 is pivotally connected to a block 274 sliding in a horizontal straight slot 276 formed in a plate 278 fixedly mounted within the housing.

Block 274 is also pivotally connected to a pitman 280, pivotally attached to the periphery of a gear 282 secured to a stub shaft 284, that is in turn fixedly secured to the lower end of the tubular member 70 of the arm assembly 66.

In mesh with gear 282 is a counter-balancing gear wheel 286 having a weight 288 secured thereto. The weight is so arranged as to provide a balance for the painting arm assembly, at opposite extreme limits of the travel of said assembly during its oscillation in the path previously described herein. 7

The arrangement is one in which there is continuous rotation of the crank 270. This causes the pitman 272 to impart reciprocating motion to the block 274. In turn, the reciprocation of the block causes rotation of gear 282 through a predetermined number of degrees in one direction, with this movement being followed by reverse rotation of the gear wheel 282 in the opposite direction. In other words, when block 274 travels toward one end of the slot the gear wheel rotates in one direction. When the block travels toward the opposite end of the slot the gear wheel will turn in an opposite direction. The number of degree of angular distance that the gear wheel turns is, of course, within the option of the manufacturer and will depend upon the extent to which the paint arm assembly 66 is to swing between its opposite extreme positions.

The counter-balance means 286, 288 is also an optional feature and may in some instances be eliminated if desired.

It will be understood that the solenoid clutches are controlled by the electrical switching means provided upon the painting head. The clutches are of a type such that when the solenoids thereof are energized, the clutches will drive the stub shafts in one direction. When the solenoids are de-energized, the clutches reverse the direction of rotation of the stub shaft 268.

Thus, there is continuous unidirectional movement of stub shafts 258, 264, and there is also a constant drivingdriven relationship between these stub shafts and the stub shafts 268. There is, however, an arrangement such that whenever the switches on the painting arm are tripped by striking an obstruction, the solenoid clutches will be operated to reverse whatever direction the stub shafts 268 are turning in at the particular moment. Of course, if the switches do not strike an obstruction, the reversal of direction of the painting arm assembly occurs at the normal limits of its travel, without change in the direction of rotation of the stub shafts 268.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. An automatic painting machine comprising a wheeled support, self-propulsion means therefor, painting head support means carried by said support, a painting head carried by the painting head support means, means to feed paint to the painting head, and means on the painting head for reversing the direction of movement of the head on engagement of the direction-reversing means against an obstruction disposed in the path of the painting head, the painting head support means comprising an elongated, vertically arranged track, and a carriage mounted in the track for up-and-down movement therein, the painting head being secured to the carriage to move therewith within the track, said painting head support means further including a pair of sprockets mounted in opposite ends of the track and a chain trained about the sprockets, the carriage including a solenoid having a reciprocable core engageable in one flight of the chain on movement of the core in one direction and in the other flight of the chain on movement of the core in the other direction, said solenoid constituting part of the means for reversing the direction of movement of the painting head.

2. An automatic painting machine comprising a wheeled support, self-propulsion means therefor, painting head support means carried by said support, a painting head carried by the painting head support means, means to feed paint to the painting head, and means on the painting head for reversing the direcion of movement of the head on engagement of the direction-reversing means against an obstruction disposed in the path of the painting head, the painting head support means comprising an elongated, vertically arranged track, and a carriage mounted in the track for up-and-down movement therein, the painting head being secured to the carriage to move therewith within the track, said painting head support means further including a pair of sprockets mounted in opposite ends of the track and a chain trained about the sprockets, the carriage including a solenoid having a reciprocable core engageable in one flight of the chain on movement of the core in one direction and in the other flight of the chain on movement of the core in the other direction, said solenoid constituting part of the means for reversing the direction of movement of the painting head, said direction-reversing means comprising a feeler frame on the painting head adapted to engage obstructions in advance of the painting head, and switch devices operated by the feeler frame on engagement of an obstruction located either above or below the feeler frame, said switch devices being electrically connected to the solenoid for shifting the core from one to its opposite position responsive to engagement of the feeler frame against an obstruction.

3. An automatic painting machine comprising a wheeled support, self-propulsion means therefor, painting head support means carried by said support, a painting head carried by the painting head support means, means to feed paint to the painting head, and means on the painting head for reversing the direction of movement of the head on engagement of the direction-reversing means against an obstruction disposed in the path of the painting head, the painting head support means comprising an elongated, vertically arranged track, and a carriage mounted in the track for up-and-down movement therein, the painting head being secured to the carriage to move therewith within the track, said painting head support means further including a pair of sprockets mounted in opposite ends of the track and a chain trained about the sprockets, the carriage including a solenoid having a reciprocable core engageable in one flight of the chain on movement of the core in one direction and in the other flight of the chain on movement of the core in the other direction, said solenoid constituting part of the means for reversing the direction of movement of the painting head, said direction-reversing means comprising a feeler frame on the painting head adapted to engage obstructions in advance of the painting head, and switch devices operated by the feeler frame on engagement of an obstruction located either above or below the feeler frame, said switch devices being electrically connected to the solenoid for shifting the core from one to its opposite position responsive to engagement of the feeler frame against an obstruction, the frame including spring arms, the switch device including switch arms in the path of movement of the spring arms in the feeler frames, said spring arms being shifted into engagement with the switch arms responsive to engagement of the feeler frame against an obstruction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

